Match-safe.



Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

SMDuQI'ZLIYz A. S. DURRUM.

MATCH SAFE.

APPL'IOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1910.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COUWASHINGTON, D. c.

ARTHUR S. DURRUM, OF DAYTON, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

MATCH-SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1910. Serial No. 568,040.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR S. DURRUM, citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Eddy and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match- Safes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to match safes and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device of this character, especially designed for use as an advertising novelty.

A further object is to provide a match safe, the construction of which is such that the matches are fed automatically to a finger opening in the lower portion of the casing so as to permit the removal of said matches from the bottom of the container, one at a time.

A further object is to provide the safe or container with a vertically movable parti tion defining independent compartments, one of which is adapted to contain unburned matches and the other burned matches.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and .efficiency, as well as to-reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and'advantages will appear in' the following description, it being understood that various changes in form proportions andminor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference-is to be had to'the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a match safe constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same supported on a wall, a portion of the container being broken away to show the construction of the movable partition; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1'; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the match safe is constructed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated I in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved match safe forming the subject matter of the present invention is preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a metallic blank of the construction shown in Fig.4 of the drawings, said blank including a front section 5, a back section 6 and side sections 7 and 8 disposed on opposite sides of the front section and'separated therefrom by transverse fold lines 9 and 10, there being similar fold lines 11 and 12 disposed on opposite sides of the back section 6 the lower ends of the side members being curved upwardly and forwardly with a portion at the front at right angles to the front member 5, as shown. The lower end of the back section 6 is formed with an integral extension 13 constituting the bottom of the match safe, there being a finger opening 14 formed in the extension 13 and adapted to register with a similar opening 15 formed in the front section 5 when the blank is folded into shapeso as to permit the ready removal of the matches, one at a time from the bottom of the receptacle.

The extension 13 is curved to conform to the curvatures of the lower edges of the sides and with its free end bent to conform to the right angle terminal of the same, so that a fiat horizontal portion is produced at the lowest part of the magazine for the matches equal in width to a single match. By this arrangement the lowermost match is supported upon a flat surface and all danger of the matches wedging in the magazine is eliminated. This is an important advantage in devices of this character and materially increases the efficiency and utility of the device. By curving the bottom extension 13 upwardly as shown, its stifiness and resistance is materially increased, and all tendency of the matches to fall from the magazine is prevented The upper portion of the front section'5 is formed with an extension 16 adapted to be folded downwardly on the line 17 into engagement with the outer face of the front section 5 so as to give an ornamental appearance to the same.

The metal forming the extension 16 is stamped or punched to produce a depression 18 designed to receive a Lincoln penny. If

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

desired, however, the penny may be omitted and the extension 16, instead of belng formed integral with the front section 5, may be formed of a single piece of metal and subsequently soldered or ObhGI'WlSG SBCLHGd to the front section or entirely dispensed with, as desired.

The back section 6 is preferably formed with rectangular openings 19 having 1nclined branch slots 20 communicating therewith and adapted to receive a nail, tack or similar device for suspending the match safe from a wall or other suitable support. The upper portion of the back section 6 1s preferably extended above the top of the adjacent side sections and scalloped or otherwise ornamented, as indicated at 21.

The upper edges of the side sections '7' and 8 are inclined downwardly at 22, there being slots 23 formed in said side sections and disposed in transverse alinement with each other when the blank is assembled to form a box. One side of the back section is provided with a lateral extension 24 preferably of the same length as said back section and adapted to be soldered or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner face of the side section 8, thus to hold the several parts in assembled position, there being a slot 25 formed in the upper portion of the extension 24 and registering with the slot 23 in the side section 8, as shown.

Slidably mounted in the safe or container, is a transverse partition or follower 26 having its longitudinal edges bent laterally in opposite directions to form guide flanges 27 and 28 adapted to bear against the adjacent faces of the front and rear walls of the sections of the safe and thus prevent tilting movement of said partition. The partition 26 serves to divide the interior of the safe or container into superposed compartments 29 and 30, one of which is adapted to contain unburned matches and the other burned matches, the latter being introduced into the compartment 29 through the inclined slots 23, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The lower ends of the side walls 7 and 8 are inclined downwardly at 31 for engagement with the extension or bottom wall 13.

The metal on opposite sides of the finger opening 14 is spaced slightly from the lower end of the front wall 5 and inclined edges 31 of the side walls to form spring lips or fingers 32, the free ends of which preferably project slightly beyond the outer face of the front section 5 so as to receive and support the matches in the compartment 30. The compartment 30 is provided with a removable lid or closure 33 having its rear end hinged or otherwise pivotally connected at 34 to the back section 6 and its free end provided with a terminal bead or roll resting on the front section 5.

The side section 8 is provided with a longitudinal extension 35 having spaced fold lines 36 and 37, the metal between the fold lines 36 and 38 being punched, stamped or otherwise roughened at 39 to form a scratching surface.

hen the blank is folded, the extension 35 is bent on the fold lines 36 and 37 to form a trough 4O terminating in a laterally extending longitudinally disposed lip 41, the upper surface of which may be coated with an. igniting surface, if desired, so that the safe may be used for dispensing safety matches.

It will here be noted that the lip 41 forms a guard when scratching a match, thus to prevent the sparks emitted from the head of the match from igniting adjacent material or from burning or otherwise injuring the person lighting the match.

In using the device, the partition 26 is removed, and a quantity of matches placed in the lower compartment 30, after which the partition 26 is placed within the safe or container and the lid 33 thereof moved to closed position. By inserting the fingers in the openings 14 and 15, the matches may be withdrawn one at a time and ignited, the burned matches being introduced through the openings 23 into the upper compartment 29, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As the matches are withdrawn through the finger openings 14 and 15, the follower or partition 26 will gradually drop by gravity, thus automatically feeding the matches to the lower end of the safe, the spring lips 32, by frictional engagement with the lower match, serving to prevent the removal of more than one match at a time.

Notches 42 are preferably formed in the spring lips or fingers 32 on opposite sides of the finger opening 14 to accommodate the heads of the matches and thus prevent fric tion thereon and ignition of the matches when removing the same from the receptacle or container. If desired, however, these notches may be omitted and in some cases, the top of the safe or container may be entirely closed or sealed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will of course be understood that the boxes may be made in different sizes and shapes and formed of tin, steel, aluminum, paste-board or other suitable material, and that when formed of tin or paste-board, spring lips of suitable material will be provided for controlling the discharge of the matches from the box or container. It will also be understood that the front walls of the boxes may be printed, stamped or otherwise provided with suitable advertising matter, as shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A match safe comprising a receptacle having its front and bottom walls provided with registering finger openings, the metal forming one of the side walls being bent laterally in the same plane with the rear Wall and thence extended forwardly to produce a guard, the inner face of which is roughened to form a match striking surface, the free edge of the metal forming the guard being extended outwardly to form a vertical lip arranged parallel with the rear wall of the receptacle to provide a match igniting surface, said guard opening in the direction of the front of said receptacle and having that portion between the lip and the adjacent side wall of the receptacle unobstructed throughout the entire height of said guard.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR S. DURRUM. [n 3.] Witnesses:

H. F. HIGHTOWER, J. R. YATES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

